The Munchies: Solutions

Now that we know from the previous blog, The Munchies: What and Why, about cravings, lets look at some solutions. Some of these might be easier said then done but give them a try because it could work.
1 A good support system. Get your family and friends involved by telling them to hold you accountable. Don't be afraid to tell your spouse, "look do not let me eat this whole pint of chocolate chunk ice cream or I will blow up like a balloon." They will appreciate you telling them that you need their help. However, do not give them evil looks or talk back or make excuses when they do hold you accountable. (Like I said before, some of this is easier said then done.)
2. Balanced diet. Keeping track of what you eat is a good way to stop cravings. Eat sweets moderately or even find substitutes for sweats, like fruit. Eating 6 small meals is better then eating 3 big ones. Do not go more then 4 hours in between meals because there is a risk of over eating due to being extremely hungry. Drinking water between meals helps stop hunger. If you are fasting and praying do not over eat when coming off the fast. It is better to start back moderately eating after a fast and not anything too filling.
3. Break habits. It is good to change up your routine to stop the habit of eating everyday at a certain time even when you are not hungry. Also changing up a route that is often driven so you will not have to pass the donut shop. If you are in the habit of eating while watching television after the kids go to sleep, try to find something else to do instead. This could be a time to do some writing, catch up on reading or laundry.
I hope these tips help you to control the munchies better. They have helped me, especially eating the 6 small meals a day. It has really sped up my metabolism and I am not extremely hungry all the time.

The Munchies: What and Why

There are many reasons why the munchies a.k.a cravings occur. Before we all give in to our cravings we should evaluate ourselves and ask why we want the food.

The first reason we tend to binge out on food is our emotions. If someone is feeling sad, lonely or depressed then they may have a tendency to eat more sweets. The same thing could also happen if someone is having the best and happiest day of their life.

Another reason is because eating late at night or during certain events is a habit. For example a person has a habit of eating a bowel of ice cream every day after dinner. This habit can cause a lot of weight gain especially if it is not done moderately.

Mental association is another reason that we crave foods. This is basically like seeing the McDonald's sign as your driving down the interstate then all of sudden the craving of a Big Mac arises. Mental association is when we see things that remind us of food and makes us crave it.
Of course dieting makes us crave food. The moment we decide to remove bread from our diet is when we start craving yeast rolls. Some people say to allow a cheat day or meal while dieting but be careful not to eat 3,000 calories while doing so.

Many people do not realize that craving may also have to do with hormones in our brain. The hormone serotonin controls our feelings of pleasure and relaxation. If the serotonin levels are low in our brains then the more carbohydrates we crave because they contain tryptophan. Tryptophan is a type of amino acid that helps increase serotonin levels. Some diet pills and foods will contain tryptophan to help stop cravings of carbohydrates.

Fasting and Praying

Praise the Lord! God is so awesome!

There is so much going on these days about detox and cleaning out your colon to lose weight. Well there is another way to lose weight but I am not just about physical weight. You can be renewed physically and spiritually by fasting and praying to God. Doing this is a great way to release burdens, get answers to prayers and draw closer to God. It also helps physically as well.

There are different types of fast. It can be food and drink, when a person just drinks water. It can be a Daniel fast when a person just eats fruits and vegetables. It can be a media fast when no entertainment is being used, just reading the word of God.

Let God reveal to you what kind of fast you should do. If there is something that is trying to take control of you and you can not control like sweet food, then you should consider fasting from it. When you fast make sure you pray and don't just pray for yourself but for others. The windows of heaven will open when it is done with a genuine heart for God. Also ask God how long you should fast and stick to it. The enemy will try to creep in and say you can stop fasting your prayers are answered but you had an agreement with God. God will honor you for keeping that agreement.
If you still are not sure about fasting and praying feel free to comment and leave your email so I can respond. Also there are many books about fasting that break it down even further. To the left is an example of a book that is really good. It breaks down the reasons to fast and pray. It will bless you tremendously.

How To Do A Quick & Easy Workout

It is a busy time of year with school starting back and getting prepared for the upcoming season changes. It is also the eighth month of the year which is when a lot of people start slacking off on weight loss goals. If you are one of the people slacking due to not enough time, be encouraged. Doing a quick workout at times when you do not have any time is fine. However, a quick workout may not help you lose weight but will help you maintain so you will not get too far off track.


An example of a quick workout that works for me is the triangle.
The triangle: is 100 jumping jacks, 100 sit ups and 100 butt kicks on each leg. You can also make it a square and do 100 kickboxing air punches. This workout takes 15 to 20 minutes to help you maintain the size and shape.

Below are some exercise tools that are convenient and small to use at home. If you have a traveling job, you can pack these with you and do them in your hotel room. If you're a college student who lives in a dorm room, these items will not take up much space.

I hope this helps all of you busy moms. No matter how busy you are don't neglect you.

How To Color Your Diet

Eating the colors of the rainbow is a good way to know that you are eating right. I am not talking about eating Skittles candy but a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables. Below is a couple of examples of each color food and how they help our bodies.

Red

1. Chile peppers- a spicy food that helps curb appetite
2. Strawberries- good for vitamin C but also help whiten teeth

Orange

1. Mango-helps inhibit the growth of cancer cells
2. Sweet Potato-full of Potassium

Yellow

1. Corn-helps protect eyes from harmful light
2. Pineapple-reduces bloating

Green

1. Pears-reduce hunger
2. Avocado-mood enhancer

Purple

1. Plums-fights viruses like the flu

Blue

1. Blueberries-improve memory
White
1. Onions-prevent cavities

Do Not Fear Being Too Holy

Jesus says in the Bible "Be Holy as I am Holy". He does not say be Holy but make sure you keep up with what the world is doing so people will not think you are too Holy. Many Christians use that as an excuse to continue to compromise with the world's ways. They call themselves Christians but still test the waters with drinking, listening to music, and going to the club for example.

I am not saying do not go out and have fun but don't compromise with the world. I love football and I enjoy going to the games but it does not embarrass me that I do not know the songs they play any more. It makes me proud to know that when majority of the stadium sings the songs I do not know them because I am not a crowd pleaser but a God pleaser. I am not afraid of standing out like a sore thumb.

As Christians we are to be different and not blend in with the world. If standing out and representing Jesus to people means being different then so be it. I am not going to loose my soul to gain the world. I do not need to keep up with the world to know what is going on in it. Looking at the people when I go different places lets me know what is happening. Looking at the news lets me know what is happening. Most importantly the Word and the Holy Spirit let me know what is happening.

Being a Christian is not just talking the talk but also walking the walk. Surrender your whole heart to Him not just some of it but all.